mother. blushes. He shrugs. "Might there be something nicer to talk about?"suggests his marching armies,a new dynasty,the end of society as they know a fan-cooled veranda,he entertains apocalyptic thoughts of inflation,and moral collapse.Or so it seems to his father as,on Hands over his ears,Yifeng presses,presses,presses. ment for his son:Yifeng will please study his Older Sister.He official,calls him a fan tong-a rice barrel.He has an assign- "Do you realize your father will beat me too?' give him preserved plums,mooncakes,money.If he doesn't, As Ralph,who back then was not Ralph yet,but still Yifeng- jian means,one listens but fails to hear.People hear what they Ting de jian in Mandarin means,one listens and hears.Ting bu out in Chinese;there's even a verb construction for this purpose. not hear?What's taken for granted in English,though,is spelled are simple.One listens.After all,why should a listening person way the Chinese will,between effort and result.Verbs in English "You listen but don't hear!"- -distinguishing,the Back and forth.Until finally,irked,she says what his tutor "I'm listening. "How can you listen with your hands over your ears?" Of course,in the end,Yifeng did come to the United States pure,the next good for nothing. "Your only son,"pleads his mother. going abroad. appeared.Though Yifeng has scored seventeenth on the de- discovers that things are indeed more involved than they at first making a few discreet inquiries,among friends.This is how he "But it seems,perhaps,that he is." His father goes on grinding his ink.Yifeng simply cannot be "America,"his mother says then. eracy!Stupidity!Corruption! His father announces that he's going to write about Degen- maobi-his mother prepares to speak up. write an article-he has an inkstone out,and a wolf's hair is,Theresa)fields grounders from her coach.Ralph,though- songs to herself;on a convent school diamond,Know-It-All (that "Too much rice wine,"muses Ralph's mother. his lifelong enemies;thanks to them he no longer holds office